Uncle Ben's, in partnership with the Columbia Bethlehem Community Center, Harvest Hope Food Bank and Feeding America, has opened its newest Kids Cafe at the Kathryn M. Bellfield-Booker Washington Heights Cultural Arts Center in Columbia, S.C. The program provides free meals and snacks to some of the 12 million children in the United States who are hungry or at risk of going hungry. This is the 16th location that Uncle Ben's has opened since September 2007. The first-ever Kids Cafe opened in Greenville, Miss., the home of Uncle Ben's U.S. rice plant."In 2007 we joined with Feeding America, pledging funds to establish Uncle Ben’s-sponsored Kids Cafe locations in safe places where kids congregate after-school and are proud of what has been accomplished in a short time," said Bryan Crowley, vice president of marketing for Mars Inc., the makers Uncle Ben's, in a statement. "The Kids Cafe in Columbia is one of seven cafes Uncle Ben’s will open this year and at this location alone, more than 50 local kids have the opportunity to eat healthier and live happier every day."
(l to r) Chef Will Cisa and chef David KreifelsThe other winners were as follows: Phillip Oswalt, Mutlnomah Athletic Club, took second place with his roasted venison rack, matsutake and venison liver hash in a sherry reduction; and Gabriel Rucker, Le Pigeon, Portland, won third place with his buffalo heart and onion pierogi with seared liver, figs, chestnuts and brown butter.
Chard-wrapped rabbit saddle and sausage stuffed into the hindquarter with Viridian tarbais beans and salmis sauceChefs Will Cisa and David Kreifels, Laurelhurst Market, Portland, Ore.
Yield: 5 servings
3 rabbits
Salt
1# swiss chard, stems removed
1 oz. bacon, diced
1 egg
2 oz. cream
1# crepinette (caul fat), soaked in water and divided
3 oz. fatback, cubed
1 Asian pear, divided
3 oz. foie gras, cubed and divided
1 T. Viridian farms Piment d' Esplette
4 oz. bacon, thinly sliced
2 c. veal stock
Viridian Tarbais Beans (recipe follows)
Method (1) Remove loins, tenderloins, hindquarters and forequarters from rabbits. Remove livers and kidneys; clean and reserve. Remove meat from forequarters, and chill. Clean bellies, and chill. Reserve bones. (2) Blanch chard in heavily salted water, and shock in ice water. Lay it out in strips on a lint-free rag. (3) Prepare a mousseline by puréeing chilled rabbit bellies and 1 oz. bacon in a food processor until smooth. Add egg and cream while the machine is running; strain through a tamis. (4) Lay two loins from each rabbit out head to tail, cover one side of each with mousseline. (5) Place a neat layer of chard on the cutting board, top with two loins, stacked head to tail with the tenderloins and mousseline in the middle. Wrap neatly with chard, and trim edges. (6) Repeat process with the other four loins and tenderloins. Wrap each package in caul fat. Refrigerate. (7) Remove bones from thighs; trim any visible silver skin. Place thighs between two layers of plastic wrap, and pound to a uniform width. (8) Grind forequarters, pork fatback, half the pear, 1 oz. foie gras and Piment d' Esplette in the coarse blade of a meat grinder. Repeat. (9) Work this mixture by hand (wearing gloves) until the fat becomes well integrated. (10) Cook a small amount, and check for seasoning. Fill the thighs with a comfortable amount of the forcemeat. Reserve the remaining forcemeat. Wrap thighs in sliced bacon, then in crepinette. (11) To make the sauce, roast rabbit bones, and simmer in veal stock for one hour. Strain, and reserve. (12) Grind livers. (13) At the very last minute, sauté livers and foie gras. Add to sauce, and purée until bound, but still chunky. (14) To assemble, sauté saddles until medium well, finishing in the oven, taking care to render the crepinette but retain the chard’s color. (15) Sauté thighs on a higher heat until the forcemeat is cooked through, taking care to render the bacon. (16) Slice saddles and legs into 3/4” rounds, and arrange on top of Viridian Tarbais Beans. (17) Dredge cleaned kidneys in flour, and sauté quickly. Cut in half, and arrange on top of saddles and legs on top of the beans. (18) Serve sauce on the side.
Viridian Tarbais Beans
2 oz. bacon, diced
1 yellow onion, minced
4 celery ribs, minced
6 Basque frying peppers, seeded
1/2 c. Viridian tarbais beans
4 c. chicken stock
Reserved rabbit and fatback forcemeat
3 oz. tomato confit (skinned, seeded tomatoes cooked slowly in oil, oil reserved)
Handful parsley, chopped
Handful chives, chopped
2 oz. breadcrumbs
Method (1) Sauté diced bacon until crispy. Add the onion, celery and peppers; sweat. Add beans and chicken stock; cook until tender. (2) When finished, strain and reduce cooking liquid to sauce consistency. (3) Return liquid to beans. Sauté reserved forcemeat, and add tomato confit, parsley and chives to beans. (4) Divide beans in 5 cast iron pans. (5) Top with breadcrumbs, reserved tomato confit oil, and gratiné.
3 rabbits
Salt
1# swiss chard, stems removed
1 oz. bacon, diced
1 egg
2 oz. cream
1# crepinette (caul fat), soaked in water and divided
3 oz. fatback, cubed
1 Asian pear, divided
3 oz. foie gras, cubed and divided
1 T. Viridian farms Piment d' Esplette
4 oz. bacon, thinly sliced
2 c. veal stock
Viridian Tarbais Beans (recipe follows)
Method (1) Remove loins, tenderloins, hindquarters and forequarters from rabbits. Remove livers and kidneys; clean and reserve. Remove meat from forequarters, and chill. Clean bellies, and chill. Reserve bones. (2) Blanch chard in heavily salted water, and shock in ice water. Lay it out in strips on a lint-free rag. (3) Prepare a mousseline by puréeing chilled rabbit bellies and 1 oz. bacon in a food processor until smooth. Add egg and cream while the machine is running; strain through a tamis. (4) Lay two loins from each rabbit out head to tail, cover one side of each with mousseline. (5) Place a neat layer of chard on the cutting board, top with two loins, stacked head to tail with the tenderloins and mousseline in the middle. Wrap neatly with chard, and trim edges. (6) Repeat process with the other four loins and tenderloins. Wrap each package in caul fat. Refrigerate. (7) Remove bones from thighs; trim any visible silver skin. Place thighs between two layers of plastic wrap, and pound to a uniform width. (8) Grind forequarters, pork fatback, half the pear, 1 oz. foie gras and Piment d' Esplette in the coarse blade of a meat grinder. Repeat. (9) Work this mixture by hand (wearing gloves) until the fat becomes well integrated. (10) Cook a small amount, and check for seasoning. Fill the thighs with a comfortable amount of the forcemeat. Reserve the remaining forcemeat. Wrap thighs in sliced bacon, then in crepinette. (11) To make the sauce, roast rabbit bones, and simmer in veal stock for one hour. Strain, and reserve. (12) Grind livers. (13) At the very last minute, sauté livers and foie gras. Add to sauce, and purée until bound, but still chunky. (14) To assemble, sauté saddles until medium well, finishing in the oven, taking care to render the crepinette but retain the chard’s color. (15) Sauté thighs on a higher heat until the forcemeat is cooked through, taking care to render the bacon. (16) Slice saddles and legs into 3/4” rounds, and arrange on top of Viridian Tarbais Beans. (17) Dredge cleaned kidneys in flour, and sauté quickly. Cut in half, and arrange on top of saddles and legs on top of the beans. (18) Serve sauce on the side.
Viridian Tarbais Beans
2 oz. bacon, diced
1 yellow onion, minced
4 celery ribs, minced
6 Basque frying peppers, seeded
1/2 c. Viridian tarbais beans
4 c. chicken stock
Reserved rabbit and fatback forcemeat
3 oz. tomato confit (skinned, seeded tomatoes cooked slowly in oil, oil reserved)
Handful parsley, chopped
Handful chives, chopped
2 oz. breadcrumbs
Method (1) Sauté diced bacon until crispy. Add the onion, celery and peppers; sweat. Add beans and chicken stock; cook until tender. (2) When finished, strain and reduce cooking liquid to sauce consistency. (3) Return liquid to beans. Sauté reserved forcemeat, and add tomato confit, parsley and chives to beans. (4) Divide beans in 5 cast iron pans. (5) Top with breadcrumbs, reserved tomato confit oil, and gratiné.
In order to raise awareness of childhood hunger, malnutrition and obesity in America, The American Culinary Federation Chef (ACF) & Child Foundation Inc. (CFI) will celebrate national Childhood Nutrition Day on Oct. 16. Since its launch in 1995, Childhood Nutrition Day has focused on the need for education about childhood hunger, proper nutrition and obesity issues. Chefs belonging to local ACF chapters across the country participate in events within their communities to help feed hungry children and promote awareness of proper nutrition. The day is planned to coincide with World Food Day, a global event dedicated to alleviating world hunger.
CCF's mission is to educate children and families in understanding proper nutrition through community-based initiatives led by the ACF chef members, and to be the voice of the culinary industry in its fight against childhood hunger, malnutrition and obesity. For more information, visit www.acfchefs.org.
The event was the culmination of preliminary hand washing competitions throughout September for managers and employees at the 11 CRG restaurants. September is National Food Safety Education Month, and each year, Clyde's prepares its staff for virus season through the competition. Teams were judged on time, knowledge and effective cleansing.
The winning team from Old Ebbitt Grill
The 2010 National Restaurant Association (NRA) Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show and International Wine, Spirits & Beer (IWSB) Event will be here again before we know it. Registration has officially opened, with next year's show set to take place May 22 to 25 at McCormick Place in Chicago. The NRA is offering early bird discounts for restaurant and hospitality industry professionals who register online before Dec. 1.The International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event will be held in conjunction with the NRA show May 23 to 24. Registration is open for IWSB, with early bird discounts also available for those who register before Dec. 1. Attendees may register online at www.restaurant.org/show or www.winespiritsbeer.org.
The NRA Show attracts industry professionals from all 50 states and more than 100 countries and offers a way to find new products and services, build relationships and network, learn from experts and peers, and explore the latest trends in food and beverage, equipment, training and cooking techniques. IWSB is the only forum focusing exclusively on restaurant and hospitality operator beverage alcohol sales. Registration for NRA Show 2010 and IWSB 2010 exhibitors and for news media will open later this fall.
The Restaurant School pastry arts students Hannah Lane (left) and Kelli Payne (right) pose with their winning cake.This year, LDEI's celebrated anniversaries included: Boston, 50 years; Dallas, 25 years; Philadelphia, 25 years; San Francisco, 20 years; Seattle, 20 years; Houston,15 years; and Cleveland, 5 years.
Whether searching for school lunch, restaurant or bakery menu ideas, foodservice professionals will be inspired when they discover the variety of ways they can include walnuts in their recipes and menus. Plus, tips on how to store walnuts in order to maintain quality and freshness are also available.
